June 2017 Expat News Archive

Expats with second homes in Brittany were horrified to hear squatters are moving into their unoccupied properties.
The controversy over British expats’ second homes in Brittany is accelerating after activists promised to force Britons to sell their holiday and second homes. The protestors have promised an entire summer of what they call...

During 2017, net annual migration figures for EU nationals coming to work in the UK have fallen by a shocking 75,000.
Annual net migration is now at 244,000, with the numbers arriving from outside the European Union rising to 205,000. At the present time, more expats are arriving in the UK, but numbers arriving from Europe are at their...

Kate Ogborne, her husband Dave and their son Jake were planning their move to the Costa del Sol when her baby son began showing worrying symptoms.
The 14-month old had started walking and was attempting to run but fell over much more than is normal. Concerned, Kate took him to her GP, who assured her he’d grow out of it, adding there...

Campaigners representing UK expats in Europe are accusing the Labour Party of betraying Britons living overseas.
Cancellation of the hated 15-year disenfranchisement law disallowing British citizens living abroad for more than 15 years the right to vote was promised yet again in 2017 in a Tory party election manifesto, but no action was...

Over 2.3 million expats in Abu Dhabi will pay more to rent their homes due to increases in municipality taxes.
Expat professionals living and working in Abu Dhabi will now receive increased monthly bills from their local municipality in addition to the usual electricity and water bills. Notification of the new municipality tax was sent...

At least a third of Australian expats returning to the home country are having difficulty finding suitable employment.
Recently released research indicates some 33 per cent of expatriate Australians who’ve headed back home can’t find suitable jobs, with many forced to take work at a lower level than their qualifications suggest. Given...

As the Netherlands becomes ever more popular with expat professionals, there’s one unfamiliar danger they need to watch out for.
Given the challenges of moving to a new country, expats arriving in the Netherlands could well be forgiven for not knowing about a serious threat to their health which could easily result in totally wrecking...

British expats as well as UK residents were horrified recently when a young boy was denied his naturopathic medication for a rare and very dangerous epileptic condition.
The imposing of an illogical ban on the medical uses of cannabidoil (CBD), a non-hallucinogenic product of the hemp plant caused condemnation via British media reports and...

Given the latest survey on costs of living in popular expat professional hubs, those looking to relocate to Asian cities might do well to renegotiate their salaries.
The recent Mercer survey identified Hong Kong as, again, the world’s most expensive city for expat life, with Tokyo, Singapore and Seoul not far behind. The Hong Kong...

As London’s property market edges ever nearer to a slump, will Brexit and the withdrawal of easy money destroy expat buy-to-let dreams?
Sellers’ deliberations as to whether it’s best to lower the price or sit on the investment in the hope things will improve are going on across the capital. Until recently, in spite of the 2008...

UK driving licenses will be invalid in Europe post-Brexit.
According to the European Commission, mutual recognition of EU and British driving licenses will end once the UK is no longer part of the EU. Returning to the age of International Driving Permits is yet another unexpected downside of a Brexit which now seems to be able to destroy...

A British expat on his first visit home for ten years was killed when he stepped in front of an express train.
Nicholas Carroll and his wife Rogayah had moved to Canada from the north of England in 1982, settling in the small town of Cochrane in Alberta. According to his wife, Nicholas suffered homesickness for a while, before adjusting...

The burned bodies of a retired British couple living in Jamaica were found late last week.
According to local media, the charred bodies of Charlie Anderson and his wife Gayle were discovered in separate Mount Pleasant locations, with local police now treating their deaths as a double murder. The former Manchester residents also had wounds...

Foreigners working in Omani government agencies can now sponsor expat work visa applicants.
According to a media report, expatriates working for Omani government agencies are to be allowed to become sponsors of expat applicants for work visas in the Sultanate. In addition, foreigners who own certain properties will be granted visas without...

The European Commission is warning formal qualifications obtained in the UK may not be recognised across the EU after Brexit.
At the present time, formal UK-obtained qualifications for regulated careers are recognised across all EU member states, but this is expected to change should the UK crash out of Europe without an agreed deal....

As the UK government releases its advanced plans for guaranteeing an easy ride for EU expats in Britain, British expats in Europe are still waiting for official confirmation of their right to remain.
Campaign groups including British in Europe have long been calling for the release by EU member states of plans to ensure security and the...

A British couple living in Almeria have had their lives wrecked by their next door neighbour’s illegal zoo.
David and Mandy Dibble bought a house in the Arboleas town of El Chopo 15 years ago, and live there for at least six months every year. Everything was fine until, some five years ago, their British neighbour sold his property to a...

Statistics are showing a considerable increase in the number of Britons applying to become Belgian nationals.
Figures released last Friday by the Belgian Statistical Office show 1381 Britons became Belgian nationals in 2017, with the total number of applications increasing tenfold since the Brexit referendum. The majority of applicants...

The threat of losing access to pension payments and insurance coverage for UK expats in Europe is creeping ever closer as the crucial issue of ‘passporting rights’ continues to be ignored by the UK negotiating team.
British expats resident in European member state countries have long been aware of the possible personal financial...

For expats giving up and returning to the UK before Brexit, selling your Spanish home isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
Selling a property in Spain is tougher as regards bureaucracy than the process of purchasing. The easy part is finding a buyer, especially nowadays as the number of Brits buying property and emigrating before...

Expats are being warned to read all the small print on their job loss insurance policies.
For expats working in Dubai, the possibility of having their contracts terminated in advance of the due date can cause a major upheaval, with many taking on insurance policies which cove them in the event of being involuntarily out of a job....

British expat campaign group Cleaning up Magaluf’s protests against a 50-strong criminal gang have been promised extra policing by Calvia’s mayor.
The violent group of prostitutes and their pimps have terrorised the popular Spanish tourism and expat hub for several months, with protests by affected business owners, British retirees...

An Amsterdam court has thrown out a landmark case brought by British expats which demanded their post-Brexit rights as European citizens should be recognised by the EU.
The case was the first of a number awaiting hearings and was brought by five British expats in the Netherlands and two anti-Brexit campaign groups. It was ruled against in...

Is now the time for UK expats living and working in the USA to depart in disgust?
British expatriate professionals living and working in the USA are facing a dilemma – staying in their jobs and ignoring the creeping totalitarianism or obeying their consciences and getting out before things get even worse.For decades, Britons have headed...

Portugal’s Golden Visa programme is being condemned as a vehicle for money laundering via real estate purchases.
NGO Transparency International is taking up on last year’s warning by Portuguese government allies by declaring the country’s Golden Visa scheme is simply a form of money laundering.The programme, introduced six years ago,...

Expatriate teachers in the UAE are being accused of stealing qualified Emirati teachers’ jobs.
According to the UAE’s Ministry of Education undersecretary, accusations that expatriate teachers are taking jobs from qualified local teachers are false. In response to negative comments during a Federal National Council meeting, Dr Haman...

Aussie expat investors are being cut off from mortgages by an international bank’s Australian subsidiary.
ING Australia has announced it will no longer offer mortgages to expat Australians wishing to invest in home country property. It’s the second international lender to cut off credit to expat borrowers despite increasing demand...

Expat professionals living and working in the UAE are worried about the effect on the cost of living of last week’s interest rate hike.
Last Thursday’s announcement by the UAE’s Central Bank is the second this year, and is expected to impact borrowing costs including personal loans, car loans and mortgages. Businesses as well as...

The British government is planning exemptions of non EU doctors and nurses from the annual immigration numbers cap.
According to UK immigration lawyers, the British government is about to exempt doctors and nurses from non- European Union countries from the annual cap on expat professionals. The cap, at present at 20,700, was divided into...

Undoubtedly, China is becoming more Westernised year by year, but even for expats in it for the long-haul, there’s much about their lifestyle that’s simply bizarre.
Even simple tasks such as stocking up on Western favourites from your nearest supermarket can be fraught with disappointment once you see empty shelves where there were...

Chinese locals and expats in Shanghai are working together to save abandoned pets.
People for Pets was started in 2015 by Samantha and Ann, two expat ladies distressed by the number of abandoned pets in the giant city. Three years in, it’s a group of experienced rescuers bridging the gap between animal protection and animal welfare in...

France’s appeal is now even more international, as an increasing number of US citizens are giving up on the home country and moving to France along with their pets.
Emigrating across continents with your beloved pet dog or cat is a stressful experience at best as well as being an expensive undertaking. Although things rarely go wrong,...

Singapore’s Expatland Giving Back Fund channels expats willing to give their labour
to help those in dire straits in the wealthy city-state.
Started by John Marcarian, the volunteer organisation is composed of expat residents in what Marcarian refers to a ‘Expatland’ an imaginary country whose citizens are all part of the 21st...

A 72-year old British expatriate living in France has been shot dead by his tenant in a row over land upkeep and development.
David Daniels had lived in the southwest of France for 25 years, and was the owner of 130 acres of farmland including a forest, cattle and crops. He was a popular figure in the village of Edon, liked for his...

With the UK housing market weakening and no sign of a rise in overall interest rates, now’s the time for expat investors to grab a bargain.
As the busy summer house-buying period sets in, potential expat investors are expected to take advantage of lower expat mortgage rates and a generalised fall in house prices due to collapsing...

UK expats living in France are being offered £60 to give their Brexit views at British Embassy outreach meetings.
As part of the British Embassy’s Brexit-focused outreach campaign in France, UK expats living in and around Paris and Nice are being asked to attend and give their views at targeting focus group meetings. Each meeting will...

The swathe of English language curriculum international schools across the expat world has helped relocating parents provide a steady stream of quality education for their offspring for decades.
One of the most important aspects of relocation for British parents is the availability of international-standard education from primary to...

According to research by the Kasikorn Bank’s research centre, the profitable private hospital business in Thailand is expected to grow further during 2018.
Literally millions of foreign patients, including expat residents as well as medical tourists are expected to visit Thai private hospitals by the end of 2018. The split is expected...

Finally, Western women as well as their Saudi equivalents can now get their driving licenses.
June 24 is a day Saudi women and their Western female friends thought they’d never, ever see – the day those who’ve received their driving licenses can hit the road! Two expat women friends, one from Finland and the other from the USA, were...

A retired British expat has been arrested and accused of starting last summer’s forest fires in Spain’s protected Puerto Mayor area.
The unnamed 78-year old is believed to spend the summer months living in the region before returning to the UK for the winter, and was arrested after being discovered close by the origins of the fires...

In response to Saudi Arabia’s opening up its economy, Dubai has remodelled its strict Ramadan rules in order to benefit its non-Moslem expat community.
In the past, the daytime fast and other rules relevant to the holy month of Ramadan have applied to non-Moslems as well as to followers of the faith, but this year’s period of...

The recently published Global Peace Index 2018 again rates Portugal as one of the planet’s most peaceful countries.
In an increasingly troubled world, finding a peaceful place to live seems like a challenge at best and impossible at worst. The Global Peace Index covers almost all the entire world population, and uses 23 quantitative and...

Expatriates with families including older children will be happy to hear three of the Netherlands’ universities are ranked in the top 100 of the World University Rankings, reckoned as one of the world’s most important education-related surveys.
Delft University of Technology came in on 52nd place, two places higher than in 2017, and...

Two million expats in South Korea are swinging between despair, hope and fear due to the threat of discord between Trump and Kim Jong Un.
Ever since the Winter Olympics, South Koreans have veered from hope through fear to despair as the political circus and its two main clowns played games of one-upmanship and power. Unheard and mostly...

It’s official – Spain’s property market is now as strong as it was in 2008.
Up until now, Spain’s golden years for its property market were just a memory, thanks to the long-standing effects of the 2008 financial crash. However, according to the country’s Land Register, foreign sales in the first quarter of this year were...

An expat mom attempting to renew her son’s ID document was told by a Spanish civil servant she didn’t believe the boy was hers.
Suzanne Dave, originally from Cheshire and married to a Spanish national, was trying to renew her son Arun’s NIE identity document at the Torre del Mar police station when an officer repeatedly told her the...

The latest survey from the International Schools Database has again ranked the cost of an international school education in Shanghai as the most expensive in the world.
For new expats in Shanghai as well as their employers who’re fronting the cost, finding the right international school can be a challenge as there’s not much in the...

A High Court judgement on May 30 has resulted in six fraudulent pension transfer and finance companies being shut down for defrauding clients out of £21 million.
Although no mention has been made of British expats losing their savings via the scam, this shocking tale of misuse of responsibility for personal gain should act as a warning...

In an update on the investigation into deadly painkiller Nolotil, Spanish health authorities are set to consider nationwide action in July.
Nolotil has been widely prescribed in Spain for years, but the drug causes often fatal reactions in patients originally from northern Europe. Late last year, English language newspaper Olive Press...

For expats thinking of buying a home in the UK for retirement after their contract ends, getting a mortgage can be a challenge.
At present, some four million British citizens are living overseas, with a good number preparing to return home once they’ve retired. One way of making sure there’s a home to go to is to purchase a buy-to-let...

The recent decision by UAE lawmakers to issue new 10-year investment visas may well produce gains due to increased numbers of expats taking the plunge, but the reasons behind their decisions aren’t clear at present.
It seems the UAE’s new 10-year visas have a similar motivation to the much-derided, so-called ‘investment visas’...

The proportion of US-born expats living overseas who resent being forced to pay federal taxes is increasing, with 20 per cent of respondents considering renouncing their citizenship as a result.
The survey by a major US expat tax services firm notes some nine million US citizens are living and working overseas, with all still having to...

Expat preferences are shifting in favour of European cities for the next career move rather than the UK.
According to the results of a recent survey, British cities’ lower quality of life is one of the main reasons expat professionals are now choosing cities in Europe as their preferred relocation destination. Other attractions are...

As the confusion continues, a YouGov poll sees voters turning against Brexit and losing faith in Theresa May and the British negotiating team’s ability to deliver.
Numbers of those who believe leaving the EU is the worst option for the UK have increased to 47 per cent of the total votes, a record seven points more than the 40 per cent...

To the intense relief of expat American SME businesses owners overseas, there’s now a one year reprieve from the dreaded repatriation tax.
Around a million US expats with a ten per cent or more stake in a foreign owned business were expected to be hit by the poorly conceived Trump tax reform bill, intended only to affect mega-companies...

43-year old David Lewis has lived in Switzerland since he was a baby, is totally fluent in French and German as well as his native language and now owns a thriving café business in Zurich.
He’s also raising his six-year old son and has no criminal record. In spite of his obvious qualifications for Swiss citizenship, his application was...

The Omani government is considering allowing recruitment of expat workers in specialised occupations on a defined, temporary basis.
According to an annual report released by Oman’s Implementation Support and Follow-up unit, specified professions for the new temporary work permits will include medicine, academic positions, technical and...

Could 3D printed homes be the housing answer for expats flocking to the Netherlands?
Rents and purchase prices of homes in the Netherlands are soaring due to demand exceeding supply, especially in Amsterdam and The Hague. The situation has been exacerbated by the huge number of expat professionals and tech entrepreneurs arriving in the...

In this ever more expensive day and age, becoming an expat isn’t simply deciding on a location and relocating lock, stock, barrel and the family dog.
Awareness of the average cost of living in expat havens all over the world is easily found online, although any one page rarely coincides with the rest as regards estimates of weekly...

British expats in Megaluf who organised protests against a group of Nigerian prostitutes have been arrested on suspicion of hate crimes.
Expats in the favourite Spanish tourism and expat hub of Magaluf had complained to Spanish police about violent attacks and muggings believed to have been carried out by the prostitutes and their...

UK expat residents across France have reacted with fury over media broke the news of Nigel Lawson’s application for a French residence permit.
Nigel, now Lord Lawson, chaired the pro-Brexit Vote Leave campaign, even although he owned and lives in an 18th century mansion in the Gers region of France. UK residents across France along with...

New Zealand’s record numbers of immigrant arrivals seems to finally be over as net migration is now falling.
According to statistics, annual net migration in the year to March 2018 totalled 68,000, a drop of 4,400 from last year’s total of 72,400. It’s still an impressive number and high by historical standards, but reflects the fact...

A month after the Netherlands government announced its shocking decision to cut back the 30 per cent tax cut for expat professionals from eight to five years, the movement aimed at getting lawmakers to rescind the ruling is growing steadily.
An estimated 60,000 expat professionals living and working in the Netherlands are affected by the...

A report published yesterday has confirmed banks and currency exchange providers are now refusing to accept Qatari riyals, causing problems for expats being paid in the currency.
Following a directive sent out to US bank branches across the globe which forbade the acceptance of the Qatari currency, expat residents employed in Qatar and...

The Kuwaiti government is to invite bids for the construction of a brand new city to house expats.
To be known as the ‘Southwest Al Jahra Labour City‘, the massive conurbation will provide homes for foreigners working in the emirate and will be located in the Northern Al Jhara region. According to the Arabic language newspaper Al...

300 boxes of the much-loved British breakfast cereal Weetabix are languishing on a pallet in Kiwi customs due to a complaint from a rival Australian cereal manufacturer.
A container load of British favourites arrived in New Zealand last week, including a pallet of Weetabix destined to be delivered to a grocery serving UK expats. The...

A special report issued by the Office of National Statistics has revealed there are 300,000 Britons in Spain as against just 116,000 Spaniards in the UK.
The report was designed to give accurate information about both expat categories before Brexit negotiations began. Almost half of UK expats are retired, with the numbers increasing...

New Zealand is world-famous for its spectacular landscapes, with many US expats seeing it as a resurgence of their parents’ American dream.
New Zealand’s magnificent mountains, rolling green hills and rugged fjords became famous as the backdrop for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy and its follow-up, The Hobbit, causing many US...

The growing popularity of Vietnam as an expat hub is being helped along by the country’s delicious, healthy cuisine.
One of the obvious attractions of becoming an expat in an unfamiliar land is the inevitable exposure to a completely different culture with diverse beliefs, customs and cuisines. Vietnam is somewhat of a late-comer on the...

Citizens of all EU member states can now make calls to persons and businesses across the EU without incurring roaming charges.
Since 2007, the European Union has acted as a regulator for roaming charges in order to ensure phone companies’ fees aren’t extortionate. Since that date, the number of calls made using mobile phones in EU...

Singapore is now one of the world’s costliest cities for expats, with salaries falling as the cost of living rises.
Even although expat wages in Singapore are still some of the most generous on the planet in spite of recent cuts, the city-state’s soaring cost of living is leaving over a million foreign workers struggling to make ends...

UK expats living and working in Spain aren’t the only ones living in fear of Brexit effects.
According to a leaked report, the Spanish government is almost as worried about the negative effects of Brexit as are the huge numbers of expats and tourists whose cash contributes to the country’s gross domestic product. The report was...

Representatives of both the EU expat community in the UK and UK citizens living in Europe are angry about the ‘fair and serious’ rights offer made by Theresa May.
Rather than relieve tensions amongst expat communities in the UK and Europe, the Prime Minister’s much publicised offer regarding expat rights has been branded as...

Arriving in a strange land and attempting to find a good place to live is stressful enough for most expats, but language difficulties and lack of knowledge of laws can confuse even the most enthusiastic newcomer.
Renting a home is the convenient way to begin a new life in an unfamiliar location, but how to do this without any knowledge of...

A massive wildfire is threatening Marbella and Donana National Park, whilst over a thousand people including expats have been forced to evacuate the area.
Believed to have started after midnight near the town of Coin, near Malaga, the blaze spread across the AP7 highway and threatened to engulf Ojen before it entered the limits of Donana...

Expats in the UAE were over the moon last Thursday as formerly blocked WhatsApp free phone calls suddenly returned, but their jubilation was shortlived.
Local UAE social media posts were the first to pick up on the return of free phone calls via the formerly popular WhatsApp VoIP service, with mobile phones buzzing all over the emirates...

Transfers from UK defined benefit pension schemes now total a record amount of around 50 billion sterling, according to figures released by Mercers to the Financial Times.
The total cash pulled from DB schemes since pension freedoms were brought in two years ago represents the pension savings of some 210,000 members of final salary...

British friends Kay Gilbert and Angie Mays have set up an online initiative offering free holidays to victims of the Grenfell Tower inferno, with the offer also extended to members of the emergency services who risked their lives during the worst London fire since the blitz.
Angie and Kay say they were motivated simply by a wish to help...

Expats living and working in Qatar are being banned form leaving the country after their agreed holiday periods were cancelled.
According to expat engineers and executives working at Qatar Petroleum, the ban and cancellations began just one day after Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt severed all links with the emirate due to its...

In spite of readjustments in their local economies, Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s survey rankings have moved up, indicating more expense for expats in the region.
The Mercers cost of living survey found that Dubai had risen one point to 20th most expensive world city, with Abu Dhabi following on at 23rd, two points up from last year’s study....

Billed as a ‘generous offer’, Theresa May’s Brexit statement on EU nationals in the UK gives those arriving lawfully before June 2019 the chance to build up similar rights to British citizens.
The right to work and the right to claim healthcare and benefits will be offered to EU expats already in the UK and those who arrive before...

The oil price crash combined with increasing global nationalism over the past year has caused the global economy to shift, thus decreasing the cost of living in London and other expensive expat destinations.
As a result of the global changes, the latest survey of the world’s most expensive cities has produced some surprising results...

New Zealand’s net immigration figures have hit an all-time high as 73,000 more arrive than leave.
According to figures for the month of May 2017, immigrants are still flooding to New Zealand in increasing numbers, led by would-be expats from the UK and Australia as well as migrants from China. Las month's net migration figures show an...

Despite its being a Tory party promise in the last two UK elections, the long-awaited expat ‘votes for life’ was not included in the Queen’s Speech at the opening of the present parliament.
The traditional Queen’s Speech, read out by the monarch at the opening of each new UK parliament, is somewhat of a misnomer as it’s written...

Expats tired of being blamed for the emirate’s demographic imbalances will appreciate a recent statement protesting their innocence by a prominent Kuwaiti doctor.
Honesty seems to have been the best policy for Dr Adel al Ibrahim, whose hard-hitting statement in today’s Kuwait Times tells it like it is regarding attacks on the expat...

Would-be expats keen to experience the road less travelled could find Vietnam is the answer to their dreams of a totally different lifestyle.
Known as the ‘Land of the Rising Dragon’ and Southeast Asia’s only Communist state, Vietnam doesn’t immediately spring to mind as a haven for Western expats and entrepreneurs. However, a...

Around 20 per cent of the British expat community in the Spanish city of Valencia have already returned to the UK rather than wait to hear the results of the Brexit negotiations.
The exodus has mostly taken place over the year following the Brexit referendum, headed up by a number of British expats who’d already decided to return home...

Two decades after the Hong Kong archipelago was given back to China, investment bankers and financiers from the mainland are taking over as Western expats leave.
Following an exodus of Western expat bankers, Hong Kong’s elite financial ranks are now being swollen by an influx of professionals from the Chinese mainland. Western banks’...

Brexit negotiations are now underway, but a lack of first-hand information on the UK government’s position is weighing heavily on UK expat property owners in EU member states.
Divorce talks between the UK and the EU are now ongoing, with Brexit Secretary David Davis stating the UK is seeking a ‘deal like no other in history’ –...

EU expats in the UK and British expats living in EU member states are seeing their plight set at the top of the Brexit agenda.
Britain’s EU divorce negotiations began Monday in Brussels, with both sides stating a reciprocal rights deal should be finalised as soon as is practicable. According to the UK’s Department for Exiting the...

As retirement approaches for expats working in the UAE, many would like to stay and enjoy their golden years in the place they now call home.
At present, some eight thousand expats live and work in the UAE, with many long-stayers approaching their retirement dates but wishing to stay in the Emirates. After many years in the region, the UAE...

Qatar’s ongoing sea blockade is making things difficult for expats leaving the emirate.
As a result of the UAE ban on Qatari vessels, expats who’ve planned to leave the emirate this summer are now unable to transport their possessions either by sea or by land. Many are trapped, with no option but to sell off their household goods and...

Taking on a new job in an unfamiliar environment for the first time is about as stressful as life gets, but it’s reassuring to be told that almost every new arrival makes the same, obvious mistakes.
When newbie expatriates drop obvious cultural clangers, they’re mostly forgiven by seasoned expat workers, simply because the blunders...

There are many reasons for packing up and moving to a strange country, but one of the most persuasive is the chance to advance your career at the same time as experiencing a more enjoyable lifestyle.
A recent survey by InterNations found that one in every three expats who’d taken the plunge had done so for career reasons, whether...

British expats living in popular Mediterranean destinations are at risk of being stranded if flights to Europe are affected by Brexit.
One Brexit issue which hasn’t had much publicity is the loss of the EU’s ‘open skies’ policy, which allows airlines operating from EU member states the right to fly over and to any other EU country...

The expected post-Brexit expat exodus from EU member states will cost the UK a billion pounds, say experts.
At the present time, the cost to the UK of reduced cost and free healthcare for expats living in Europe is estimated at £500 million. Once Brexit kicks in and around 190,000 expats return to the UK, the total price of NHS treatment...

An Australian expat living and working in London disregarded his own safety in an attempt to rescue residents trapped inside the inferno of Grenfell Tower.
London-based Jody Martin left his apartment in a block adjacent to the ill-fated Grenfell Tower when he heard sirens and realised something was very wrong. At that point, the fire...

Portugal’s Algarve region has been popular with British expats for decades, but few nowadays realise it’s also a great place for retirement due to its low cost of living.
Retirees searching for a cost of living which won’t break the bank could well be forgiven for not considering the Algarve as they assume an EU member state...

Yesterday’s announcement that Muharraq Municipal Council’s is attempting to introduce a ban on expat drivers hasn’t gone down well with various Bahraini organisations.
Strong opposition to the proposed ban on expat drivers in Bahrain hit the headlines just a day after Muharraq Municipal Council’s attempt to reintroduce the...

A former Royal Marine Commando with a love of the traditional tastes of Cornwall is now the highly successful proprietor of Dongguan’s cream teas and pasties eatery.
Alan Stroud has lived in China for the past 20 years including a stint in Hong Kong, and has always admitted to a craving for traditional British delights such as Marmite,...

Following the failure in 2014 of a similar effort, a Bahraini municipal authority is again attempting to cancel the driving licenses of expats working in the emirate.
The first attempt failed when Bahrain’s Constitutional Court ruled the measure was discriminatory and unconstitutional, but a loophole in the court’s reasoning allowed a...

Theresa May’s refusal to guarantee the right to remain for EU citizens has sparked an expat exodus from the field of education, including Britain’s top universities.
Now being referred to as the ‘expat brain drain’, top talent reaction to the threat of compulsory post-Brexit rehabilitation to the home country is to leave on its...

Many soon-to-be expats wouldn’t even consider leaving their favourite dogs or other pets behind, especially as the process isn’t as scary as it first seems.
The 21at century growth in the numbers of people who become expats for reasons of work, retirement or simply the lure of a new experience is unprecedented in modern times, and has...

The Saudi Arabian government has announced it will put in place a monthly expatriate levy of 100 riyals, starting on July 1 and increasing year by year until 2020.
The move is said to have been sparked by Saudization plans to encourage local companies to employ nationals rather than expats, and the levy is expected to be deducted from...

The number of EU nurses registering to work in Britain’s National Heath Service has fallen to almost zero since the Brexit vote.
Whilst last July’s figures showed 1,304 EU nurses applying to work in the NHS, figures for April this year showed just 46 – a massive drop of 96 per cent since the Brexit referendum. Data from the Nursery...

British expatriates in Dubai are fearing an uncertain future after last week’s devastating election result.
The loss of the Conservative PM’s majority in the House of Commons and her decision to align with an Irish party formerly reputed to have been supportive of IRA terrorists has caused massive instability in the UK political...

Thailand’s reputation amongst expats and tourists is likely to take a knock following the World Economic Forum’s placing of the country in the top 20 for its high rates of violence, crime and low rates of police service.
The WEF Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, released earlier, comes on the heel of a further report placing...

British expatriates across the world have again been denied the chance to have their say by voting in last Thursday’s snap General Election.
Thousands of Britons living overseas have lost their right to vote due to the chaos caused by international delivery logistics and tardy responses by local authorities. Many of those affected will...

A recent study has revealed only one in every 10 British expats living overseas has any serious intention of returning to the home country.
The survey’s results showed the majority of expatriate Britons had made the decision to leave due to relocation by their company or the desire to start a business overseas. No mention was made of...

It’s a buyers' market in New Zealand for expats looking to put down roots as the number of homes for sale doubles over last year’s total.
Last month’s figures for the total number of homes on the market in Auckland were the highest since 2012, with almost 9,000 residential properties awaiting buyers. At the same time, the number of...

Manhattan’s favourite British pub hosted crowds of expat Britons as well as visitors from the UK on Thursday night for its big-screen showing of Theresa May’s snap election.
The Churchill Tavern’s TV screens got the attention of over a hundred fascinated Britons as the drama unfolded, resulting in a hung parliament and all the chaos...

As the Gulf States crisis hots up, the ban on Qatari nationals entering UAE states has been widened to include all expats holding Qatari residence visas.
The new ban applies to all passengers on airlines flying to UAE airports, and is set to cause extreme difficulties for expat professionals who travel the region regularly a part of their...

The UK’s cost of living for EU and other expats drawing in money from foreign accounts has fallen dramatically since the Brexit referendum.
A new global cost of living survey has seen the plunging pound sterling bringing benefits for expatriates paid in foreign currencies. UK cities are now the cheapest as regards the cost of everyday...

Expats in Spain are up in arms about tactics being used by house insurance firms, with some claiming the methods used to prevent clients changing companies are underhand
House insurance is one priority which the majority of expats take seriously, but recent reports claim the methods used by some companies to prevent clients leaving are...

Expats waiting to transfer pension cash to an offshore QROPS must wait as Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs misses yet another deadline for its new list of permitted offshore pension schemes.
HMRC’s missing of their recently announced deadline will now prevent retirement savers waiting to transfer their UK pension pots to an overseas...

As the snap diplomatic rift launched by Saudi Arabia and the UAE emirates on Qatar continues, its effect of expats’ lives is becoming clearer.
For expats living and working in Qatar, the rift is likely to make their jobs harder, with the latest news stating expats who reside in Qatar will no longer be granted visas on arrival in the...

Although the looming shadow of Brexit may well have killed retirement dreams of Mediterranean sunsets, there are still value for money destinations overseas.
One thing Brexit hasn’t destroyed is adventurous British would-be expats’ dream of a retirement overseas, it’s just meant their choices of destinations may have to change. A...

Moving overseas is stressful enough, but ensuring your treasured art, antiques and favourite items arrive safely can be a real worry.
Nowadays, moving to another country on retirement is increasingly popular for many reasons, but safely transporting personal treasures, art or antiques can cause untold stress. Over the years, many...

Whilst its everyday expat community fears the effects of Brexit on their lives, Cyprus is raking in billions by selling Golden Visas to wealthy Chinese and Russians.
Cyprus is just one of the 27 EU member states offering visas for cash to wealthy investors from across the world whilst its established expat community fears for its fate...

Following the news that Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, the country’s supermarket and food shop shelves were emptied by Qataris and expats fearing imminent food shortages.
Qatar grows very few food crops, importing 90 per cent of its needs mainly from its neighbour Saudi Arabia via daily truck...

British expats living and working in the United Arab Emirates are shocked, angry and dismayed after last weekend’s Islamist terror attack in London.
Many of the UAE’s large expat community are British and are reacting strongly to last weekend’s terrorist attack which killed seven people and injured dozens. The general feeling is...

Academics at leading British universities are fearing a Brexit brain drain as EU expats leave their jobs to return home.
Academics are voicing their concerns that Brexit will result in a top talent decline due to the British government’s failure to guarantee the rights to remain for foreign students and staff alike. According to...

An expert reserching Britons’ overseas participation in home country political matters as well as voting strategies has launched two online surveys.
University of Sussex professor Dr Susan Collard is attempting by the use of two online surveys to discover how UK expats voted in last year’s EU referendum and the previous general...

As a result of a new global transparency drive, financial data related to British citizens living overseas is to be sent to HM Revenue and Customs by world financial centres.
HMRC is preparing to receive the data this week as part of a coordinated global attempt to crack down on tax evaders, but innocent British nationals living abroad...

The expat community in China has welcomed the government’s plan to upgrade identity cards issued to foreigners with permanent residency.
In an announcement late last week, China’s public security authority announced new versions of machine-readable ID cards given to expats with permanent residency. The new cards will begin to circulate...

As tensions on the Korean peninsula rise, expats working in South Korea are expressing their fears for their futures.
Over 100,000 American expats are living and working in South Korea, with most based in Seoul, just 35 miles form the border with the North. They’re well used to hearing threats from North Korea’s unstable leader,...

A UK expat is determined to show solidarity with Dubai’s Moslem community by the simple act of baking cupcakes for them.
It may sound crazy, but Nicola Donal and her husband Brendon’s unique initiative is making friends and bringing a spirit of community to Dubai. When Nicola, a Mancunian herself, heard about the Manchester tragedy and...

British expat Belinda Gatland has received a 3D printed prosthetic leg from the Dubai Health Authority as part of the emirate’s 3D Khair Year of Giving initiate.
The British equine physiotherapy specialist and sometime jockey lost her leg 10 years ago following a riding accident, and is the first in Dubai to receive a fully 3D printed...

In a recent survey, the Northern Thai city of Chiang Mai was listed as one of the best retirement destinations for expats, but is it all it seems?
Chiang Mai lies in the province of the same name in the far north of Thailand, bisected by the Ping River and boasting a moated, walled Old City. It’s the capital of its province, set in a...

According to Belgian officials, hundreds of desperate UK citizens living and working in Brussels and the rest of the country are rushing to start nationalisation proceedings.
The little country of Belgium is home to around 24,000 Britons, many of whom are working for Brussels-based organisations such as NATO and the EU institutions. Since...

International expats living and working in Beijing are increasingly concerned about the short- and long-term effects of Britain’s leaving the European Union.
UK expats in Beijing and China’s other major cities are in a state of anxiety and uncertainty ever since the shock waves resulting from the Brexit win reverberated across the...

The first official report of expat voters losing their chance to vote in the referendum due to the inefficiency of the Royal Mail confirms suspicions that the Brexit result might have been Remain.
Castle Point Council in Essex has admitted it had been necessary to send out a second batch of 144 postal voting cards to its British citizens...

One certain strategy to avoid being caught up in disastrous Brexit side-effects is to get married very quickly to your chosen Spanish partner Brits in long-term partnership with Spanish nationals are queuing up to pop the question in order to ensure their rights to stay in Spain after the UK finally leaves the EU.
‘Marry me so that I can...

Famous for his long term attempts to regain the vote for UK expats who’ve lived abroad for more than 15 years, Harry Shindler is appealing to the Human Rights Commission to void the referendum result.
Harry’s fight to allow long-stay UK expats to vote has taken at least a decade, and is highly personal for him as he first arrived in...

The full effects of Britain’s leaving the EU won’t be felt until two years of negotiation are done and dusted, but the reality is that the majority of changes won’t benefit either UK expats or UK residents.
The 40 years’ norms of travel, passports, jobs overseas and in the UK, visas, immigration, free movement and more will all be...

Ever since last Thursday’s shocking referendum result, social media has been buzzing with EU-based expat suggestions of how to avoid being forced back to the UK.
Prior to the vote, expat media outlets in several EU member states carried reports that long-term British expats were hedging their bets by applying for citizenship of their...

Tourism authorities on the Greek island of Lesvos have shut down a refugee centre run by two British expats, fining them €10,000 for running an unlicensed hotel.
The 20-room centre, located in Molyvos village, was housed in a formerly derelict beachside hotel rented and renovated by a British couple who’d been working with refugees for...

Recent good news that the Spanish property market is finally escaping years in the doldrums has been overturned by Brexit and the slump in sterling.
Although a glimmer of hope for long-term British expats on the Costas was given yesterday by the Spanish prime minister, the long-term projections as to Brexit’s effect on the property...

Common sense, changed minds, political and economic chaos, the postal vote scandal and a dose of reality following last week’s Brexit win are all sparking calls for a second referendum.
After one of the world’s most poorly-run, deceptive and potentially disastrous referenda, the real world seems to be dawning on a large number of UK...

As the value of sterling shrinks due to the disastrous and unexpected result of the Brexit referendum, expats living in the southeast Asian retirement hub as well as visitors are expressing their concern.
According to Thailand’s popular English language newspaper Bangkok Post, it’s not just British expats living, retiring and working...

Following a report in the Independent newspaper last Thursday, an increasing number of British expats involved in the postal votes scandal are calling for a second referendum.
Expats living in EU member states, the USA, Australia and across the world now have the most to lose due to the Leave campaign’s success in the ballot. The...

An online parliamentary petition set up by furious Remain voters has proved so popular that its site has crashed.
The online petition calls for the UK government to implement a rule relating to the percentage of votes and turnout. It states that in the case of a turnout of less than 75 per cent with either Leave or Remain votes totalling...

Giving that the referendum result was a close call, is it possible that international postal chaos and EC inefficiency has been responsible for the Brexit win?
British expats across three continents are outraged after losing their chances to vote in the Brexit referendum due to international postal chaos and the uncaring attitude of the...

UK expats living and retiring in Spain are in a state of shock as their worst fears about Brexit are confirmed.
Brits living the good life in Spain woke this morning to their worst nightmare – the decision of a majority of eligible referendum voters to leave the UK. Immediately, <a...

A group of Australian and New Zealander expats working in Nigeria have been kidnapped at gunpoint by militants whilst being driven to work at a mine in Cross River State near Calabar City.
One New Zealander, four Australians and two Nigerians working for Perth-based Macmahon Holdings were victims of a violent attack during which the...

A recent survey has revealed an increase in younger people becoming expats whilst more retirees are returning to the UK due to financial woes.
In 2015, more than 121,000 UK citizens left the UK and headed for expat destinations across the world, according to the Office for National Statistics. At the same time, a NatWest International...

Retiring to a tropical paradise is a favourite dream for older would-be expats, but what if unexpected health issues are the reality?
Emigrating overseas outside North America and Europe undoubtedly has its plus points, with the fascination of a totally unfamiliar culture, the challenge of an obscure language and the possibility of a far...

Tomorrow’s the day the long-term future of the UK is decided, with the million or more UK expats living in Australia possibly able to swing the vote to Remain.
British passport holders living in OZ are fully entitled to postal votes if they have lived overseas for less than 15 years. Australia is home to 1.2 million expat Brits, with New...

France has long been the choice for Brits looking for great weather, superb cuisine, fine wines and a huge variety of history and culture, but where’s the best region and town to settle?
A recent survey revealed a surprising first choice for overall quality of life linked with easy access to international air links, the coast, stunning...

One of the most important and longest running cost of living surveys has declared Hong Kong to be the most expensive cities in the world for expats.
The 22nd Mercers survey places the Asian expat hotspot at the top of its list of 209 cities as regards cost of living. The aim of the annual study is to help major employers decide on...

In spite of appeals from British expats, the Cypriot government is keeping its cards very close to its chest as regards the possibly devastating effects of a Brexit on the local economy.
Reports of a probable collapse of tourism to the island plus the loss of a large number of British expats now in residence have been circulating for...

Expats heading for a new life in the USA face a good number of bureaucratic challenges, but taking advice from those who’ve gone before is the best way to deal with officialdom.
The USA is one of the most popular destinations for expats, with the majority relocating to take up new jobs in one of the country’s massive cities. For...

Scots expat Steve Balfour’s body was found in a Pattaya police morgue a month after he disappeared during a visit to his Thai daughter.
Steve Balfour, a security consultant working in Basra,Iraq, went missing on May 14 during one of his regular visits to Pattaya to see his six-year old daughter Georgina, The child was living with...

The dream of a Spanish lifestyle has seduced UK would-be expats for decades, but peace of mind and a lack of hassle depends on getting it right from the moment you arrive.
Emigrating overseas is an increasingly attractive option for British citizens approaching retirement. thinking of setting up a small business in a warm, friendly...

After decades of semi-closure, Vietnam is opening up to expats and allowing house purchase under certain circumstances.
For years, Vietnam’s real estate market has been considered risky for investors and expats due to legal restrictions on long-term stays and house purchases. Recently, it seems that strengthening demand from South...

Once considered the star of expat relocations, static pay, cancelled bonuses and the soaring cost of living are forcing many expats to pack up and go home.
Saudization and the fallout from the dramatic fall in oil prices are just two of the reasons given for what is being referred to as a ‘mass exodus’ of expats from Saudi Arabia and...

Yesterday’s shocking news of the murder of Batley MP Jo Cox resulted in both the Remain and Leave camps suspending their campaigning until at least Saturday out of respect for the popular parliamentarian.
As the appalling news broke that one of politics’ brightest young stars had been stabbed and shot to death outside her constituency...

Expats celebrating the original announcement of Saudi Arabia’s proposed Green Card have been badly let down by a further announcement restricting the card to foreign investors and highly qualified experts from overseas.
The formerly announced Green Card was to resemble the USA residence model, giving security to expat professionals...

As with most other expat locations worldwide, the UAE expatriate community is no stranger to the devastating effects of unregulated IFAs and their toxic products.
For many years, expat communities have suffered vast financial losses via dodgy purveyors of long-term investment schemes as well as outright fraud and mis-selling. The chief...

A recently released OECD report points out that legal labour regulation has resulted in a decline in the European Union’s share of the global talent pool.
According to the respected think tank, the European community is now facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis requiring member states to come up with coordinated, bold solutions in...

A report from Britain’s Citizens Advice Bureau is claiming that pension providers and financial firms are demanding up to 10 per cent from clients wishing to draw down from their retirement savings.
According to the highly regarded consumer watchdog charity, not only are financial firms being greedy in setting up their charges, they are...

Given that the Brexit referendum is the most important issue to hit the UK in many decades, the total chaos of both the Remain and Leave campaigns may be disastrous for the millions ultimately affected by the result.
As it’s generally now understood that a Brexit win would unleash political and financial repercussions extending far...

For expat professionals in the world of finance, Hong Kong is one of the planet’s most exciting, challenging, rewarding and hard to manage assignments.
Relocation to Hong Kong is one of the most sought-after goals for adventurous finance professionals desperate to make a name for themselves in a fiercely competitive environment. For even...

Knowing your legal rights as an expat in Spain, it seems, is the first step in winning back your life savings form property scammers.
Adolfo Martos, a long-standing lawyer with offices in Malaga and Marbella as well as a dedication to help scammed expats, has the core advice of how to beat the snails-paced Spanish courts. Hanging on in...

Myths, half-truths and downright lies, along with highly speculative references to various outcomes, have been the norm for the past two months, and only now are the in–your-face consequences of a Brexit being openly discussed.
A carefully-researched article in a highly-regarded UK newspaper is finally giving the unvarnished truth of...

With the remain/leave debate accelerating by the hour, the latest attempt by the Remain campaign has been to focus on the falling value of post Brexit sterling.
Whichever group is putting itself forward at any one point in time, one thing they both agree on is that the value of sterling will take a significant hit should the UK vote to...

For several decades, Costa Rica has been high on the list of retirement havens from US citizens, with developments in one beachside resort likely to attract expats from other continents as well.
The North Pacific coastline of Costa Rica is known as the Gold Coast for many good reasons, including wide, sandy beaches, glorious sunsets, palm...

Thai smiles in the expat and tourism haven of Thailand’s Phuket resort island were turned to scowls recently by the news that the local football club had been declared bankrupt.
Given that journalistic integrity in Thailand isn’t quite what it is in the more respectable Western media outlets, it’s no surprise that the Phuket Footie...

Searching for an international school for your children is one of the most daunting tasks for expat parents on long-term assignments overseas.
Packing up and moving to a strange land to take up a new job is tough enough for singles – for parents with children of school age it can be a nightmare. Successfully identifying an international...

During his visit to the UK, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades managed to alienate UK expats living in Cyprus with his lack of concern for their plight should Brexit become a reality.
The interview on London Greek Radio was set up to encourage the high number of Cypriot expats living and working in the UK to vote ‘Remain’ in order to...

In spite of the fact that polls taken during the run-up to the UK’s last general election were proved totally wrong, the never-ending release of Brexit surveys and polls are now simply muddying the waters.
The results of two polls were announced yesterday, heightening Remain voters’ fears that their campaign is stalling. In contrast,...

Oman’s Ministry of Housing is considering plans to allow expats to purchase homes outside the country’s integrated tourist complexes.
Should the plan go ahead, expats who’ve until now been restricted in their choice of districts in which to purchase homes will be allowed to buy properties in other areas of the sultanate. According to...

Amongst the endless debates about the ramifications of a Leave vote, British expats living in Cyprus now have a new concern about the possible fate of their bank deposits.
In spite of the thousands of media pages both on and offline devoted to examining and re-examining the plight of British expats in Europe in the event of a Brexit, one...

With global migration now at an all-time high and involving huge numbers of international professionals as well as retirees, where do they come from and where do they go?
Professional expats have many reasons for leaving the home country, with career prospects, increased salaries, an improvement in the work/life balance and the excitement...

A survey of relative costs of living across professional expat global relocation destinations rates Singapore 18th in the 'most expensive Asian cities' lisitng.
Current rankings for Asian cities now places Singapore as the 18th most expensive city in the Asian region. Over the past five years, the city state’s cost of living has risen...

A British expat couple and their daughter have been arrested by local police in Santa Pola for running an illegal care home and defrauding residents of their properties.
According to Spanish police, the 59-year old couple had converted their property into a long-stay retirement home without obtaining the proper registrations and license...

Expats and visitors to Papua New Guinea’s capital and major cities found themselves trapped in escalating violence after police fired on a student protest.
Yesterday’s demonstration against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his government turned violent when police began firing on students, severely wounding dozens. Tear gas and shots...

Continuing the hunt for extra revenue to offset the fall in oil prices, Saudi Arabia is considering taxing foreign residents’ salaries.
The introduction of income tax for foreign residents as yet another way to increase falling revenue streams is bound to be controversial, and is at present being considered as ‘only a proposal’,...

Due to the devastating effects of the 2008 financial crash in Ireland, many highly qualified IT specialists left for overseas jobs, and are now being enticed back as the country’s economy strengthens.
For several years after the 2008 crash decimated Ireland’s economy, qualified professionals across the board left to make new lives...

Prepaid envelopes provided for expat Brexit referendum postal votes are being refused by German post office workers as they are the wrong size!
Around 100,000 British expats are believed to be living in Germany, with a good number registering for postal votes in the Brexit referendum. Although the prepaid envelopes provided with the...

A group of drunken Thai thugs who attacked a British family on holiday in Hua Hin have been given two-year prison sentences by a local court.
For decades, Thailand’s tourist hotspots have hosted both expats and temporary visitors, with the coastal town of Hua Hin a favourite for its less frenetic vibes. The town itself became a hub for...

British and American expats contribute skills and money to many economies across the world, but seem to be regarded with contempt by their respective governments.
The USA expat population stands at around 8.6 million scattered across the globe, but a recent survey revealed only seven percent believe they are fairly represented at...

Whilst many British expats living in Spain are experiencing nervous breakdowns over the possibility of a Brexit, others who’ve already left are overjoyed they don’t have to deal with Spain’s new tax laws covering overseas assets.
Estimates of the number of EU and British expats who took their money elsewhere rather than be taxed on...

A change in Portugal’s tax laws has resulted in rising house prices not seen since 2008.
Always a favourite for British retirees, Portugal’s Algarve region has been something of a disappointment for the last eight years as regards capital gains on house prices. However, since a new law was enacted, property values have shown a steady...

A major Brexit concern for British expats living in European Union member states has been the security of reciprocal health care should the UK leave the EU.
Travellers around Europe as well as British expats took to the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in a big way as it guaranteed heathcare in all European Economic Area (EEA)...

Nowadays, expats come in many guises, from those relocating overseas to work through modern-day backpackers to single women, retirees, adventure seekers and even digital nomads.
In the days way back when, expatriates were sent abroad to work in a similar manner to when Britain ruled the waves as a colonial power. Very few people actually...

Migrant workers rights activist and lawyer Andy Hall is on trial in Bangkok for disclosing the results of investigations in worker abuse.
British expat Hall has been resident in Thailand for 11 years and is a prominent campaigner for migrant workers’ rights in the Kingdom’s agricultural and seafood industries. The current charges being...

Given that Greece has always been an alternative expat destination for thousands of Brits who’ve fallen in love with its beauty and laid-back culture, what’s the reality of living there right now?
A favourite holiday destination for decades, the siren song of Greece has drawn a good number of Brits to take up permanent residence as EU...

An unexpected announcement yesterday reversed an earlier warning to expats over the 30 June health insurance deadline.
Previous announcements gave Dubai expatriates until the end of June to arrange compulsory health insurance for themselves, their dependents and any staff employed. However, an announcement yesterday stated that, although...

The integrity of the Brexit referendum is at risk due to non-British citizen UK-based EU nationals receiving voting cards.
After reports that non-British citizens living and working in the UK are being sent voting cards for the Brexit referendum, urgent enquiries are being called for.The news broke after a Polish national living in Surrey...

In an interview with a Spanish international news agency, the Spanish prime minister suggested that a Brexit would signal major problems with the right of free movement for UK expats living in his country.
Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy told international news agency EFE that Britain’s leaving the EU would be very negative for Spain, the UK...

Should Brexit succeed, UK retirees living in EU member states are at risk of losing their annual pension increases.
A major reason why the majority of UK retirees choose residence in EU countries rather than venturing further afield is the ‘triple locked’ annual increase in the UK state pension. The small but guaranteed increase...

The slowdown in the economies of the Gulf has resulted in layoffs, stalled construction projects and cut-backs in expat employees, some of whom are trapped as they owe money to banks.
The emirates and kingdoms making up the oil-rich Gulf region have seen revenues plunging since the dramatic downturn in oil prices began last summer. Gulf...

As Brexit’s day of reckoning inches ever closer, British expats in New Zealand are still split on how to vote.
Always a favourite with Britons looking for the perfect retirement home or a more rewarding life-work balance, New Zealand’s welcome to UK citizens is as warm as ever. Although a Brexit wouldn’t threaten UK expats’ right...

For decades, Thailand has drawn expats from all over Europe and America to its stunningly beautiful islands, its raunchy mainland beach retorts and its surprisingly low cost of living, but many are now considering a move to Cambodia.
Reasons given for abandoning Thailand in favour of its next-door neighbour may seem trivial to those...

Lloyds Bank is to expand its London Expat Service to allow the increasing number of non-domiciles moving to the UK to access it.
The London Expat Service launched last year in one of Lloyds’s offices in London, and is now available in various locations across the capital.
The initiative aims to offer the bank’s day-to-day retail...

Police in Costa Rica have launched an investigation into the disappearance of a Californian man who is thought to have gone missing in the Caribbean coast province of Limon.
Sixty-four-year old Brian Lynn Hogue was last seen in the capital San Jose on 1 June before leaving the city to drive home to the farm where he lives in the slope town...

A British woman has been killed in a tragic paragliding accident in Spain’s southern Cadiz province.
The 48-year-old expat, who lived in the town of La Linea de la Concepcion, died when her canopy folded in midair shortly after taking off on Sunday.
Sources said that the Brit, who has so far only been identified by her initials L.P.,...

Former UK tennis ace Andrew Castle is luring expat Brits to southern Spain after taking on an ambassador role with Spanish property developer TM Real Estate Group.
Castle, who was British number one in 1986 and climbed to a career high of number 80 in the world in 1988, owns a holiday home in the southeastern Spanish town of Murcia and is...

UK nationals residing in the United Arab Emirates face being deported if they are caught using inappropriate language online.
Strict new legislation in the Gulf state means that anyone swearing in internet sites or applications such as WhatsApp and Kiks face a hefty fine of up to 250,000 dirham (£44,000).
However, the situation is more...

The high demand for Filipino workers in a number of Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and UAE, has increased the remittance value during the opening months of 2015.
Philippines’ central bank governor Amando Tetangco said that a total of US$8.6bn was sent home by Filipinos across the globe between January and April – 5.1 per cent...

The government of Saudi Arabia has refuted allegations by the UN that that it and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations were guilty of not respecting expat workers’ rights.
The Kingdom’s permanent resident at the UN in Geneva, Faisal bin Hassan Trad, said the claims, which were published in a report by Human Rights Commissioner...

People planning to visit or work in New Zealand can now fill out their visa applications online, in a move that has been viewed as a faster, more efficient way of doing things.
Students have been able to use the online system since last August, and with the most recent enhancement of the system, more and more people heading to the country...

Foreigners living in South Korea are being conned into buying non-existent electrical products through advertisements on hacked or fake Facebook accounts.
Initial investigations suspect that at least one of the scammers is Nigerian based.
Conmen using real Facebook accounts in Korea, with real people and images, as well as the...

Expatriate workers based in Oman should have a guarantee of receiving the country’s legal minimum wage, says the General Federation of Oman Trade Union (GFOTU).
GFOTU board member Mohammed Al Khaldi said that the labour law did not mention a minimum wage for Omani citizens or expatriate workers, despite a ministerial decree in 2013...

Spain’s office of national statistics has published the most popular expat names in the country, with Moroccan and Romanian names out in front.
According to statistics agency, Mohamed and Fatima are the number one men and women’s names respectively, with 40,658 Moroccan Mohameds and 18,493 Moroccan Fatimas living in the Iberian...

A Belgian expatriate in Spain has been voted in as the mayor of Alcaucin in Malaga.
Mario Blancke, who has resided in the southern Spanish town for 25 years, was a town planning councillor for four years before his election campaign to be mayor in May. He won a large number of his votes because of his role as spokesman for Save our homes...

Asia is now among the world’s most expensive regions for companies to send foreign workers to live in, revealed the latest survey from Mercer, with five of the top 10 priciest destinations being in the east of the continent.
Hong Kong jumped from third place last year to second this time out, while Shanghai, Beijing and Seoul were also...

London is now a cheaper city to live in for expats than Geneva, Hong Kong and the Angolan capital Luanda revealed a new study.
The British capital came 12th in the latest cost of living poll, which looked at the priciest cities for multinational companies to base their expatriate employees.
The news may come as a surprise for HSBC as it...

A British expat in the Spanish town of Nerja had her purse stolen in a Mercadona supermarket scam.
Sixty-four-year-old Marion Talbot had her purse, which contained €600, nabbed in a lift in the supermarket after a thief spotted her typing in her pin number when paying for her groceries.
Two smartly dressed men entered the lift...

An online petition in South Africa is asking lawmakers to change the rule that states when South Africans gain citizenship to a second country they lose the one for their homeland.
The petition, which can be found on change.org, notes that many South Africans are stripped of their citizenship when they become naturalised to a nation they...

A media group on the Costa del Sol is being sued by one of Andalucia’s largest printing firms over non-payments of bills.
Former Sunsearch Media boss Stan Israel is to appear in court over failing to pay bills totalling €8,000 and dating back to 2013.
Seville company Tecnographic printed Perfect Homes, which was among a number of...

An expat banker in Hong Kong was arrested after allegedly killing a security guard when he crashed his Ferrari in a car park.
Police said 48-year-old Robert Ebert was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving causing death. They explained that the driver lost control at the entrance of the car park before colliding with another vehicle...

Seven in 10 British expats do not understand newly-introduced pension flexibilities, according to a study by financial advice company AES International.
The firm surveyed 170 expats, finding that 70 per cent did not know their freedoms, and that of the 30 per cent that did, only six per cent knew in what way it would affect their...

Expatriate workers in the oil-rich Gulf states sent home over US$100bn in remittances in 2014, according to a recent economic report.
In a strong indication of growth, the figure marked a two-fold increase since 2010, said Kuwait Financial Center (Markaz) head of economic research Raghu Mandagoathur.
About 25 million expats reside in...

Thai police have thrown out the case against an Australian expat on the island of Phuket who was suspected carrying out the fatal stabbing of a nightclub worker in Patong.
After studying CCTV footage that showed Mark Pendlebury acted in self defence when attacked by Sanya Khlueawaengmon, 25, on 11 March, police decided to drop the...

The Philippines capital Manila is the 136th most livable city in the world for expats, according to the 2015 Quality of Living Rankings, which featured a total of 230 cities.
The rankings, compiled by US global human resource consulting company Mercer, listed the Austrian capital Vienna as number one, with Switzerland’s Zurich and New...

Irish retiree Catherine Guy quit her homeland last year and headed for the Spanish town of Vera and, having previously been committed to her role as a music teacher, found herself with plenty of time on her hands and a desire to travel.
However, there was one slight problem that prevented her doing so: her dogs had moved with her. Despite...

Expat husbands of Saudi Arabian women who travel to the country for Haj, Umrah or any other kind of business will now be offered regular residence permits known as iqamas.
Furthermore, a royal decree issued just under three years ago also entitles children with Saudi mothers and foreign fathers the same rights as Saudi in education, work...

Two patients in Saudi Arabia will undergo life-saving surgery after receiving the kidneys and liver of a brain dead expat worker in Makkah.
Al-Noor Specialist Hospital in Makkah’s director of the central care unit Qassim Al Khateeb said that a helicopter flew the surgically removed organs to the hospitals in Riyadh and Jeddah where the...

A British expat who has been banned by her town hall from feeding stray cats is fighting back in a bid to overturn the ruling.
Kelly Dooley, 44, was told by Benalmadena Town Hall that she was no longer allowed to lay food out for the cats that roam around Paloma Park.
However, Dooley, originally from London, is not happy with the ruling...

Expat workers in Saudi Arabia will receive a three-year ban from the kingdom if they fail to return before their exit-reentry expires.
The entry ban, which requires expatriates to be back in the country at the latest on the visa’s re-entry date, will only be applicable to workers.
However, many expats have admitted they were shocked...

A generous expat couple in the Costa del Sol are to give their newly-renovated bistro and bar away to the lucky winner of a raffle, in which 10 tickets are available for just €100.
The owner of the property, Michel, and his wife are not revealing the location of the bistro yet, but have said it has the potential to draw in a large number...

Cost of living considerations are one of the most important aspects of deciding on the perfect place to live outside your home country.
Whether you’re moving overseas for work or retirement, balancing the cost of living in your chosen country with your financial status is essential, and doesn’t necessarily rest on average prices...

In spite of its present government and developing nation status, a recent happiness poll has marked Cambodia as a place where positive emotions predominate.
Cambodia’s position in Gallup Poll’s recently released Positive Experience Index might come as a shock to its neighbour, Thailand, now experiencing its 18th military coup since...

However confusingly expat IFAs describe QROPS, the original intent in 2006 was simple – to comply with EU rulings giving expat pensioners living permanently overseas easier access to their cash.
No mystery there, but many pension savers seem to have lost touch with this basic truth. QROPS have nothing to do with tax avoidance, early...

Going on a summer holiday with friends or family is as much an annual treat for expats as it is for home country residents, but practical worries abroad can ruin the experience.
Living and working in the UAE is often regarded as a stressful but financially –rewarding challenge, with summer holidays away from the cities a well-earned...

Overdue adjustments to the rules concerning UK pensions have resulted in confusion over the long-term implications of proposed changes and their effects on expats.
Whilst the added flexibility and options promised in the March budget speech offer positive results for holders of UK pensions, many expats are confused about its possible...

With Ramandan beginning this weekend, expats in Saudi have been warned they will be deported should they disrespect the rules of the holy month of fasting.
An announcement by the kingdom’s Interior Ministry urged non-Muslims to respect the feelings of practicing Muslims by not smoking, drinking or eating at work, in public places or in...

Every year, around 150,000 UK citizens move overseas to live and work, with most still keeping financial and familial links with the home country.
Transferring money is a necessary evil for a majority of expats, whether it’s pension payments, mortgages on property at home or abroad or interest payments on UK or offshore investments....

British expats may well remember that, back in the day, Spain’s Costas were the destination of choice for the UK’s most-wanted criminals, including the infamous Great Train Robbers and various East End mafia dons.
Apparently, a dodgy UK passport and an offshore bank account stuffed with ill-gotten gains was all that was needed to...

A little-noted comment made by the British Chancellor in his March budget speech concerned the present unacceptably high rate of taxes on unused pension funds charged on the death of a saver.
At present, families must pay a 55 per cent tax on the remnant of pension funds left after the saver has died. Following his concerns, George...

A new report has revealed that the traditional multi-millionaire haunts of London, Paris, New York and Geneva are losing their super-rich residents to exotic countries previously favoured by adventurous expats.
The survey, undertaken for Knight Frank’s Global Wealth Report, canvassed 23,000 ultra-high net worth multi-millionaires, and...

Most expats are happy to buying what they need online when they can’t find it in their host country, but purchasing health insurance via the internet can be a costly and unreliable proposition.
Online clients may not realise that, although search engines are the best way to find goods, they’re not suitable for finding services....

As inflation in Qatar soars to an all-time high, expats on fixed packages are increasingly unable to save or enjoy their free time in this exotic location.
Wealth statistics in the emirate reveal the highest per capita GDP on the planet, but its soaring inflation rate is making rent increases, school fees and the coast of everyday...

As the civil war in Iraq continues between the opposing Sunni and Shi’ite factions, British expats in the country are getting ready to leave in a hurry.
Following the end of the Iraq War, many thousands of British workers arrived in the war-torn country to help rebuild the devastation and are now caught in the crossfire between the two...

The impact on returns of the many methods of charging for advice and fund management is being minimalised by commission-grabbing FAs via clever presentation of percentages.
Whilst investors in the UK are now offered financial advisor fixed fee structures or charges based on time spent, the vast majority of expat investors and savers are...

Expats in Bahrain are being driven crazy by the country’s potential new laws preventing foreigners from driving unless their jobs require them to do so.
New arrivals in the country are allowed three months’ motoring mobility before they are forced to get a local driving license. Bahrain’s population of 1.2 million includes 675,000...

Expat investors living in Spain’s popular Costa del Sol started their own action group in 2008 after losing millions to unregistered, unregulated financial advisors targeting the mostly retirement communities.
Six years later, the main aim of the group remains the same: the outing of unlicensed, unpricipled FAs mis-selling unsuitable...

UK expats caught up in the ongoing passport renewal chaos are being offered easier options as regards the already introduced one-year passport extension.
An announcement by the British Passport Office has confirmed the availability of the free one-year passport extension for all UK citizens living overseas and needing passport renewals....

Emigration from the UK is likely to spike within the next few years as increased utility bills and other cost of living rises hit average pension returns and savings.
According to a recent study, the savings rate of average UK households has shown a dramatic fall over the last four years, and is predicted to fall even further between 2014...

The upcoming launch of the USA’s controversial FATCA reporting requirements looks set to result in the closure of US expat accounts world wide.
For several months, reports have been coming in from various expat destinations about restrictions, difficulties and even account closures affecting US citizens living abroad, either in...

Following the UK Chancellor’s budget announcement that UK expats should expect increased property taxes on UK buy-to-let investments, capital gains tax will now apply to all expat-owned investment property and second homes.
UK citizens living overseas will now be required to pay capital gains tax (CGT) on all sales of buy-to-let houses...

Bereaved home country families of expats dying overseas are being forced to pay for funerals or repatriation of their loved one due to health insurers’ confusing jargon.
The bodies of around 90 per cent of British citizens who die abroad are repatriated for funerals, with the total costs running up to £17,000. Even when travel or health...

The two masterminds behind one of the biggest ever boiler room scams have been jailed for ripping off £millions from unwary investors. Jeffrey Revell-Reade and Anthony May were found guilty in a London court of conspiracy to defraud over a thousand investors.
The total sum lost was estimated at around 70 million sterling, and sentences...

Oz’s new campaign to lure British millionaires to a new life will include an immigration fair in London featuring tastings of Victoria State’s best vintages.
Australian wines are highly regarded worldwide, with Victoria State’s vineyards some of the country’s best known for premium vintages. The government’s campaign aims to...

After news of the crisis in UK passport processing went viral across the expat world, Home Secretary Theresa May was forced to announce automatic extensions for those affected.
Hundreds of thousands of expats have been hard hit by the gross backlog pf over 500,000 applications for passport renewals, new passports for family members and...

Those planning retirement overseas and expats already receiving defined benefit pensions need to act fast if transferring to a QROPS is on the agenda.
This year’s March budget shakeup removed the necessity of purchasing an annuity with your pension pot, allowing the full amount to be taken out and reinvested. However, reports that those...

The controversial US FATCA tax-avoidance scheme, due to come into effect next month, will not only affect USA citizens, but also international customers of US banks.
According to FATCA rulings, all international customers of US banks and financial institutions, wherever they are in the world, must provide their personal and financial...

As the popularity of New Zealand as an expat destination soars, fears of increasing upward pressure on the country’s real estate prices are emerging.
The recent excess of immigrants to New Zealand against the fast-falling number of migrants is putting pressure on the already-stressed Kiwi housing market, with professionals in the field...

A recent survey of the world’s most expensive cities for expat living has seen London once again listed in the top 50. ECA International’s latest survey revealed the UK capital’s rise of a full 40 points to 46th in the global rankings, its highest place since 2008.
The cost of an average shopping basket of goods has risen by 3.5 per...

The revenue to be gained worldwide by investing in and promoting medical tourism has resulted in a slew of countries setting up private hospitals and clinics, with Dubai the latest to announce its aim to become a world medical tourism hub.
The oil-rich country now boasts internationally-accredited hospitals with world-class facilites as...

In spite of rumours that the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee were softening on the base rate, the June decision to retain it at 0.5 per cent is more bad news for expat investors and savers.
Investors and savers may not realise that the BOE base rate isn’t the only determining factor in product providers’ fixed rate savings...

One of the most important decisions expats need to make when choosing an overseas destination for retirement or a new job is the availability of quality medical care.
Many private hospitals overseas are now attracting customers using rating systems , considered as the equivalent of the ‘star’ system for hotels. However, relying on...

Retiring overseas has been the dream of many UK citizens, worked for and saved for over many years, but inflation in favourite destinations is now killing the reality for many.
Experts are reporting that buying a property overseas and living the good life in retirement is no longer possible for the average British couple due to rapid rises...

Some 25 airports in Saudi Arabia are at present being either expanded or constructed, with most expected to offer expat-only immigration queues.
According to a spokesperson from Saudi Arabia’s Passport Department, the planned expat-only immigration facilities will help to speed arrivals through the gates in record time. An estimated 10...

One of pension savings’ great mysteries is how to calculate exactly how much income per year equates to a comfortable retirement.
A recent industry study in the UK concluded that an amount of £15,000 per year was enough to keep the average pensioner happy, and that contentment tended not to rise with an improved level of income. The...

Learning the language of your chosen retirement destination is a real challenge for many newly-arrived expats, but keeping at it could mean your brain stays young over the years to come.
Recent research by a team at Edinburgh University has revealed that becoming reasonably proficient in an unfamiliar language is one of the best ways to...

Thousands of UK state pensioners living overseas are likely to lose out due to the recent changes in state pension legislation.
Overseas UK citizens who planned and took their early retirement well before its UK due date are finding their calculations are in tatters as they may no longer be entitled to a full UK pension. Formerly, 30...

A new pilot programme, Home Instruction for Pre-School Youngsters, has been designed to make integration into Canadian schools far easier for recently-arrived children between the ages of three and five.
Operating with a grant from Canada’s Citzenship and Immigration department, children from 25 immigrant families will take part in the...

Financial planning for expat retirement overseas is tricky at the best of times, but for those choosing a destination where the UK state pension is frozen, it often proves one issue too many.
A recent article in the Times newspaper tells it like it is for more than 500,000 British pensioners living in countries without reciprocal...

Delays of up to three months are being experienced by British expats attempting to renew their passport under the recently adopted new scheme.
Her Majesty’s Passport Office is warning that renewal and issuance of replacement passports will take far longer than under the old scheme. Formerly, passport renewals and replacements were...

Expat overseas health insurance, once considered an essential, is becoming less affordable by the month whilst product providers’ profits are heading into the stratosphere.
Overseas retirees on pensions are the worst affected, with thousands now unable to afford the increased premiums. Meanwhile, the salaries and bonuses of health...

The survey, undertaken by an upscale property company with offices in 21 world locations, has identified Majorca as having the strongest price rises over the last year.
Beating out even London’s trendy Chelsea and Westminster districts’ price rises, luxury Majorcan properties are being snapped up by wealthy Brits as well as non-EU...

Saudi Arabia’s amnesty deadline for illegal expat workers to either leave or regularise their positions will now be extended for at least another three months.
The kingdom’s Labour Ministry announced the extended amnesty to all authorities as well as to businesses, and the extension is being seen as a response to an overwhelming...

Figures released last Wednesday by Statistics Canada may come as a shock to Canadian males as it’s women and recently–arrived migrants who top the scale in qualifications and experience.
Women aged between 25 and 64 hold 54 per cent of all Canadian university degrees, with the younger age group between 25 and 34 holding 60 per cent....

UK Chancellor George Osborne is expected to announce plans to introduce a ‘temperature test’ to determine whether expat pensioners living overseas should continue to receive winter fuel allowances.
According to sources within the government, the Chancellor will make his announcement on Thursday, unveiling proposals to stop the benefit...

The British government’s recent decision to charge visitors from so-called ‘high-risk’ countries a £3,000 cash bond before being allowed entry to the UK is being slammed by the UAE’s expat community.
The visitor’s visa bond will apply to all citizens over the age of 18 from Ghana, Nigeria, India Pakistan, Sri Lanka and...

At least 30 British expats and tourists were arrested In Portugal on suspicion of breaking the country’s strict anti-gambling laws.
The expat landlady of Albufiera’s Yorkshire Tavern and her Portuguese partner had organised the weekly bingo nights for regulars and visitors and purchased boxes of biscuits and large bars of chocolate as...

The first stage of Saudi Arabia’s salary protection scheme had now been instituted, with 3,000 expats working in private companies now covered.
The scheme involves new rules allowing the kingdom’s Ministry of Labour to check that private company employees receive their monthly salaries on the due date. The system is a joint...

The expat hub of Dubai has pulled the plug on the massive problem of overcharging for private medical services in popular expat destinations.
Officially acknowledging what expats themselves and their employers have long suspected, Dubai’s government has admitted that expat hospital patients are possibly being over-diagnosed as well as...

Expat savers who are already suffering from miniscule interest rates and a lack of choice could be hit again via shortfalls in UK banks' balance sheets.
Turbulence in the UK banking sector looks set to have yet another effect on offshore savings accounts held by expatriates. The UK’s Prudential Regulation Authority has discovered gaping...

A new poll suggests that, of the two million Britons who have emigrates since 2003, a good number have left their pets behind due to the soaring costs of relocation by air.
Money is the main reason for the abandonment of dogs and cats when their owners leave the UK, but there is also unnecessary concern over the distress caused by long...

Australia’s Best Expat Jobs in the World competition results have been announced, with six contestants now heading for the best few months of their travelling lives.
The contest, run by the Australian Tourist Board, attracted no less than 330,000 competitors hailing from 196 countries across the world, with all the applicants whittled...

In a bid to encourage the understanding amongst the expat population of the traditions and etiquette of the Muslim holy month of Ramandan, Abu Dhabi and the city of Dubai are arranging Ramadan etiquette courses for foreigners.
Ramandan, the month of fasting, is considered the calendar’s holiest months by Muslims across the world. It’s...

Expat residents on the popular island of Malta are being left in the dark as to the process necessary to apply for a new ID e-residence card.
The Maltese government’s Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs is replacing ID cards issued to non-Maltese nationals with e-residence cards under a scheme announced in January, with...

A quintessentially British establishment is celebrating the pre-WWII colonial lifestyle in a small corner of one of East Asia’s most Westernised enclaves.
Singapore’s famous Raffles Hotel may be the last reminder in the city state of Britain’s grand colonial past, but the 30-year old British Club does its best to keep alive the...

Official from the UK government have announced a crackdown on UK expats living in Spain involved in benefit fraud.
Investigators from the UK’s Work and Pensions Department are claiming that British expats living in Spain are the worst for benefit fraud of any country in which British expats are residing. The British Embassy in Madrid...

Saudi Arabia’s controversial government immigration amnesty is having its expected result as thousands of workers leave, affecting a majority of the kingdom’s construction projects.
According to industry experts, as many as 80 per cent of present projects could be seriously delayed as a result of the government decree, believed to be...

Expat pensioners living all over the world have lost billions of pounds sterling due to the weakness of sterling and fluctuations in currency exchanges.
According to a leading currency exchange company, British pensioners living overseas have been hard hit since 2007 when the £ sterling was hit by the financial crisis. Currency...

The transient expat community in the United Arab Emirates is learning that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure as yard sales and classified ads become respectable. Prior to the 2008 financial crash, UAE expat society was obsessed by the new, shiny and sparkly, with cruising flea markets for bargains considered as uncool as it gets....

The arrest and punishment of an innocent French family by immigration officers at Thailand’s Phuket Airport is being explained away as a mistake by Phuket’s governor.
French holidaymakers Damien Della Libera, his partner Eloide Triche and their daughter Oxanna were arrested when they were honest enough to realise they and several other...

The annual migration survey by the UK Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shows that migration has picked up after three years in decline, but notes immigrant unemployment figures are already at 50 per cent.
The OECD’s 2013 International Migration Outlook covers 34 countries and their social and economic...

After several weeks of worry that expat women teachers sponsored by their husbands were about to lose their jobs by Saudi government decree, it was announced yesterday that the decision has been reversed.
The kingdom’s Interior and Labour ministries yesterday made an announcement allowing qualified and legal dependents of expatriates to...

The resurgence of the property market in Dubai’s expat powerhouse is now seen to be hampered by over-enthusiastic development, with other emirates such as Kuwait and Qatar seeking to steal its crown.
Since the law disallowing expats from purchasing freehold real estate in Dubai was rescinded in 2002, the emirate has been the most...

As life gets more complicated in the traditional retirement destinations of Spain and France, an increasing number of British pensioners are living the expat dream in South East Asia.
A combination of sunshine, great beaches, low living costs, established expat communities and retirement-friendly visa requirements is luring Brits to...

Whilst potential expat property purchasers are growing nervous about the effect of Spain’s new license laws, investors are transferring their attention to booming Ibiza.
The Balearics holiday island’s recovery began last year and is surging ahead of its mainland resort competitors since Ryanair’s bargain flights began again in...

Canada’s immigration authority’s worsening backlog of applications waiting to be heard will cause financial hardship for a Hamilton family for years to come.
Canadian citizen Carey McGregor met and married his wife Sylvia in 2007, before moving to Taiwan to take work. The couple lived in the Far East for several years, enjoying a...

*** This is a short press release on behalf of Boundless productions ***
The UK’s longest running relocation show ‘Escape to the Country’ is expanding! We are excited to reveal that the popular BBC series will now be helping house hunters realise their dream of moving to Continental Europe.
Whatever your dream property; whether...

In spite of media publicity and extensive regulator warnings, expat investors are at increasing risk of falling foul of unregulated and unqualified financial advisors peddling unsuitable offshore-based investment schemes.
The Lawyer magazine is the latest publication to pick up on the increased risk to expat investors, identified by an...

The formerly generous expat packages doled out to all overseas staff on contract in the UAE would appear to be dead in the emirate’s warm, azure blue water.
Prior to the recession, the so-called ‘expat package’ included every possible benefit plus hefty bonuses for the inconvenience of living the high life in glorious weather....

As currency variations threatening expat lives across the continents and crackdowns on immigration and work permits causing relocations, a new survey has identified the world’s 10 most expensive cities.
The ECA International Survey found that Tokyo, considered the world’s most expensive city for three years, has been toppled from its...

In yet another move towards Saudization of its workforce, Saudi Arabia’s government has announced plans to sack all expat English language teachers.
According to reports in local Saudi newspapers, the Gulf Kingdom will not renew the annual contracts of expat English language teachers working in its 10,000 government schools. The teachers...

Back in March the Saudi Labour Ministry officially warned expats against allowing their wives or dependents with residency visas (iqamas) to work in the private sector, explaining that this violated Saudi residency laws and regulations. Moreover, those who have been sponsored are not allowed to work in any profession other than the one for...

A recent survey has tipped the Thai city of Bangkok as the world’s most popular, overtaking last-year’s winner, London.
For years, expats have been heading for Bangkok to work and live.with many more taking up residence in Thailand other well-known holiday destination of Pattaya, Hua Hin, Phuket and Chiang Mai. Bangkok’s top position...

With the Irish property market now in tatters and the country’s economy slow to recover from the crash, expat buyers are finding bargains in famous beauty spots.
Properties in the hard-hit republic have fallen as much as 80 per cent from the heights they reached just before 2008, and are now a dream come true for expats whose holiday...

Britons with a holiday or retirement home in Spain are about to receive another shock as the Spanish government cracks down on unlicensed holiday lets.
Spain is a popular destination for Britons searching for a holiday home or those planning to spend the long, cold UK winters in a warm clime after retirement. Many let out their homes when...

Following the recent dearth of UK buy-to-let mortgages available to expat investors, one innovative newcomer to the mortgage market is bucking the trend, albeit at a price.
Since major lenders in the expat buy-to let market such as Lloyds TSB withdrew their mortgage services due to ‘exposure to riskier lending’, expats wanting to...

Canada’s citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism minister Jason Kenney hit the ground running in his much-publicised recent visit to Silicon Valley.
The new, innovative Start-Up Visa introduced recently with much fanfare is the first such in the world, and was presented by Kenney to the IT hub’s entrepreneur community. The...

As the UK immigration debate rages on across the country, a group of Conservative members of parliament have come up with what they beleive is the answer.
Visas to live and work in the UK, says the backbencher Free Enterprise Group, should be sold off to wealthy foreigners to the highest bidder at specialist visa auctions. This, they...

Kuwaiti police are revoking thousands of driving licenses belonging to foreigners who commit traffic violations .
Kuwait is now revoking the driving licenses of expats caught for traffic-related violations as well as impounding thier vehicles. To date, many thousands of licenses have been withdrawn.
In addition, according to senior...

Following the limitations on new migrant numbers introduced by the Swiss Government last month, the country’s booming house price index is expected to slow.
According to Zuercher Kantonalbank, as immigration slows due to the reduction in permitted numbers, the pressure on the booming property market is expected to ease. High levels of...

Expats arriving in India for upscale postings complete with mansions in new Delhi, chauffeured limos and servants on call are turning to counselling to deal with culture shock.
The phenomenon of culture shock comes as standard for most expats who move to unfamiliar countries, with adjustment periods taking longer or shorter dependent on...

According to the Foreign Office, a UK man convicted of allegedly selling cannabis in the UAE is now facing the death penalty. Although the suspect has not been named, a local UAE newspaper said he was 21 years old.
A court in Abu Dhabi has heard the man had provided an undercover officer with 20g of cannabis, which was worth 1,500 UAE...

British expatriates have been left bewildered after the French government made a tax crackdown on inheritance trusts. Thousands of UK nationals are thought to have established such trusts to protect their wealth from inheritance tax (IHT). However, France’s tax office is now clamping down on such ploys and have given trustees until 15 June...

A court in Spain has sent nineteen-year-old Ryan Goodman to a juvenile detention centre pending trial, following his confession that his twin brother, Michael, had been accidentally killed during an argument near their home in February 2011.
Goodman told police that the two brothers had been arguing about a “stupid matter” as he pushed...

After a six-year legal battle, a Spanish bank, which rejected the idea of returning the off-plan deposits of 47 UK expats who invested in an unsuccessful local property development, will now have to repay €1.5 million.
Known jointly as the Finca Parcs Action Group, the British expats each shelled out between €10,000-70-000 worth of...

The ex business partner of UK businessman Neil Heywood's supposed murderer has been taken into custody in Cambodia. in the latest news for the biggest Chinese political scandal in recent times, Patrick Devillers, a 51-year-old French architect, was jailed about 2-3 days ago in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.
Spokesman for the...

A British yachtsman could be stranded on an uninhabited, faraway Pacific island now that his 50 foot yacht was destroyed in the sea near Tonga. Ian Thompson, an experienced yachtsman in his 60s, along with an unnamed yachtsman from Australia, have been declared missing since an urgent call was placed from their yacht (Navillus) to a relative,...

Only 33 per cent of British expats who have moved to China see the move positively, according to the results from the most recent NatWest International Personal Banking quality of life index.
According to the bank, while 35 per cent of expats were satisfied with the relocation, 23 per cent said they made the wrong decision to move to...

British expatriates in Greece may see their medical insurance doubling in cost if the country leaves the euro and medical institutions do not cut their charges.
Even if Greece’s hospitals do reduce charges substantially, expatriates holding international cover would still collect claims beyond Greece’s borders, which would surely...

A British businessman who has gone on a hunger strike inside a Dubai prison has reportedly suffered a stroke.
Forty-eight-year-old Peter Margetts, a real estate developer originally from London, is currently serving a 23-year jail sentence for issuing cheques that bounced – a criminal offence in the United Arab Emirates, where financial...

European expats in the United Arab Emirates are among the limited winners benefitting from the crisis affecting their homelands. Expats who are sending funds back to the eurozone have seen their spending power from the dirhams they receive boosted by the weakening of the euro.
Gonzolo Gaspar, a Spanish expat in the UAE, is among thousands...

The family of a sailor from Perthshire who has vanished in Dubai claim that his mysterious vanishing is “out of character''.
Timothy Andrew MacColl (27), a Leading Seaman originally from Killin, disappeared while his ship, the HMS Westminster, was still docked in Dubai. Mr MacColl was last seen entering a taxi at 2am Dubai time last Sunday...

The economic downturn in Europe is causing junior doctors to leave in a scenario similar to that occurring in several developing countries.
The Sudanese Medical Association UK and Ireland announced that Irish foreign national doctors were emigrating from this country.
Speaking before the Association's first meeting to be held in Ireland,...

More Guernsey-based QROPS pension programmes may be approved in the UK by HM Revenue and Customs, say tax officials. The amount of island programmes approved by HMRC fell down from 300 to 3 last April because of tax avoidance measures.
Director of Income Tax Rob Gray said that a number of programmes were disqualified because they were not...